Indications have emerged that Germany will give priority attention to Africa when it takes over the presidency of the Group of Eight (G8) nations from Russia in January 2007.

German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) programme manager, Klaus Bruckner, said the German government has decided to put Africa high on its agenda, helping the continent attain economic development.

He spoke in Abuja, Nigeria, during a seminar on the African Peer Review Mechanism experience- sharing in West Africa.

Bruckner told journalists in an interview that Germany has been a committed partner of NEPAD since it was established in 2001. GTZ has provided technical support and helped design institutional structures and it is increasing its co-operation base, he added.

GTZ has earmarked about 12 million euros for institution building in Africa between 2002-2008, to support NEPAD, the African Peer Review Mechanism and the Pan-African Parliament.

GTZ has no specific expectations from its collaborating partners, Bruckner added. Rather, it has unconditionally recognised the principles of African ownership in NEPAD and other programmes of the African Union.

He reiterated that GTZ’s role is to provide technical support, knowledge, expertise and human resource.